SCOTT WAITES and Robert Thornton won through to the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts semi-finals with victories over Ted Hankey and Tony O'Shea at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Friday night.

2010 Grand Slam champion Waites remains on course to reach his third final in Wolverhampton after picking up his second win over Hankey in this year's event.

The Lakeside Champion had won their Group H clash 5-3 last Saturday, and hit three ton-plus finishes as he picked up a 16-10 win in their quarter-final clash.

Hankey shared the game's opening four legs before Waites took out 104 to move 4-2 up with a break, only for the Telford ace to reply by hitting the bull to complete a 124 combination.

Huddersfield-based Waites extended his lead to 7-4, and though Hankey took out 90 to reply, the Lakeside Champion finished a 13-darter and a 102 finish as he moved 10-5 up, before taking out a superb 146 checkout as he moved into a 12-6 advantage.

Hankey won three of the next four to pull back to 13-9, but Waites finished tops and double one to move to the brink of victory, and though double five kept the two-time World

Champion in the mate, the former Grand Slam winner followed a 180 by taking out 96 to seal victory.

"It was a good game and good fun, but I'm glad to get it out of the way," said Waites. "It's difficult to get up on stage and play Ted, but I enjoyed the game and I think the crowd did too.

"Sometimes you get drawn into what Ted's doing rather than concentrating on your game, and I did tonight, but I also had a bit of a laugh with him as well and it worked for me.

"I wanted to try and get into a bit of a lead and I managed to do that. The 146 was nice and my finishing has been pretty good this week."Waites now plays Thornton in Sunday afternoon's semi-finals, and said: "Robert played well tonight and beat Tony quite easily, and we've both been pretty consistent this week.

"We'll get on with our darts on Sunday and it will be a great game, and whoever takes their chances will win."

Scotland's Thornton won through to the semi-finals at the Wolves Civic for the first time with a comprehensive 16-6 win over Tony O'Shea, who missed 31 darts at doubles as he exited the event.

Thornton punished misses from his opponent to win the first two legs before taking out 127 for a 3-0 lead, and though O'Shea finished 123 on the bull to reply, the former UK Open champion moved 6-1 up.

O'Shea, aided by two 180s, hit back to 8-4 at one stage, but Thornton hit an 11-darter in a run of four successive legs to create a six-leg cushion over his opponent.

The Scot continued to punish the three-time Lakeside Champion for misses as he moved 15-5 up, and though O'Shea traded 180s with his opponent as he hit back on double eight, another maximum was not enough to keep the game alive as tops sealed Thornton's win.

"It's a very big win for me and I'm really happy with that," said Thornton. "Tony's been very consistent over the last week, but I wanted to keep my scoring up and hopefully get more chances than him.

"My scoring put pressure on his doubles, and I managed to take my chances. To win by a scoreline like that against Tony is great because he keeps coming back at you.

"I was a little bit patchy at times but I've been pretty consistent this week and you need to do that in an event like this. It would rank very highly for me if I can go on and win this now."

Hankey's run to the quarter-finals is the highlight of a year in which health problems have affected his form, but he said: "I didn't play as well as I could tonight and Scott was the better player.

"I've struggled a bit but I've enjoyed this week and hopefully I can keep pushing forward now and start fresh last year. I know I'm as good as anybody but I've got my health to sort out first."

The quarter-finals conclude on Saturday night, as four-time Grand Slam champion Phil Taylor, the PDC World Champion, takes on seven-time major winner James Wade and two-time

Best of 31 legsMatch InformationTony O'Shea v Robert Thornton0-1 - Both players initially miss darts at double top before Thornton returns to hit double ten for an immediate break.0-2 - O'Shea misses two darts at double 16 and eight as Thornton steps in on double eight.0-3 - O'Shea hits a 180, but Thornton finishes 127 to win his third leg.1-3 - Thornton misses double 19 to extend his lead further, allowing O'Shea in to take out 123 on the bull.1-4 - O'Shea misses the bull for a 126 finish, and Thornton takes out double 18 to regain his cushion.1-5 - Thornton posts a 180 and hits double ten to win a third successive leg.1-6 - The Scot punishes O'Shea for further missed doubles by landing tops to move five legs clear.2-6 - O'Shea hits a 180 and punishes four missed doubles from Thornton by hitting double 12.3-6 - Thornton lands a maximum, but sees O'Shea take out 72 on double 12 to continue his revival.3-7 - Thornton opens with two 180s, and though a possible nine-darter goes begging, he takes the leg on double four.3-8 - Thornton kicks off with a fourth maximum in three legs, and though O'Shea replies with a third 180 of his own, the Scot pins double eight to move five legs clear again.4-8 - O'Shea punishes missed doubles from Thornton to finish 64 on double 16.4-9 - O'Shea lands a maximum, but Thornton hits tops to regain his lead.4-10 - O'Shea misses double six and eight, and again Thornton steps in to win the leg.4-11 - Thornton hits a 180 and finishes 96 for an 11-darter.4-12 - Thornton posts another maximum, his eighth of the game, and finishes double 18 to move eight legs clear.5-12 - O'Shea hits back by landing double 18.5-13 - O'Shea lands a 180 but misses a dart at tops to finish 78, and Thornton lands the same bed to move three legs from victory.5-14 - Thornton misses two darts at tops, but O'Shea is unable to finish 130 and the Scot returns to hit double ten.5-15 - Both players suffer with missed doubles, with O'Shea agonisingly seeing six darts at double eight land outside the wire before Thornton hits double one to move to the brink of victory.6-15 - Both players kick off with 180s, with O'Shea looking to have wasted his chance when he misses three more darts at doubles, only for Thornton to miss double ten and five for the match, allowing the Stockport ace to finish double eight and stay in the game.6-16 - O'Shea posts his seventh 180, only to miss a dart at the bull to finish 77 as Thornton returns from three more misses at tops to hit the double for victory.Ted Hankey v Scott Waites1-0 - Hankey takes the opening leg with an improvised double one finish.1-1 - Waites takes out 36 to level the game.2-1 - Hankey hits a 180 to leave 12, before hitting double six to move back ahead.2-2 - Double nine sees Waites level the game.2-3 - Hankey misses double ten to take out 90, and Waites finishes 32 to break for the first time.2-4 - Waites moves two legs up by taking out 104.3-4 - Hankey finishes 124 on the bull to hit back.3-5 - Double eight sees Waites restore his two-leg cushion.4-5 - Double ten for a 56 finish sees Hankey reply once more.4-6 - Waites pins double 16 to regain his advantage.4-7 - Waites secures a second break of throw to move three legs clear.5-7 - Hankey breaks for the first time, finishing 90 with a seemingly effortless bullseye, double top combination.5-8 - A third successive leg goes against the throw as Waites lands double 16 for a 13-darter.5-9 - Double eight sees Waites move fourth legs ahead of his rival.5-10 - Hankey is unable to take out 122, and Waites finishes 102 to take a five-leg cushion.6-10 - Both players miss the bull before Hankey returns to hit double top.6-11 - Waites takes out a sublime 146 finish to regain his five-leg lead.6-12 - Waites hits double top to move four legs away from the semi-finals.7-12 - Waites posts his first maximum of the game, but Hankey is first to a finish and returns from missing two darts at double 11 to land double four to reply.7-13 - Hankey lands his third 180, but Waites finishes 78 on double 12 to move six legs clear again.8-13 - Hankey misses tops, but Waites misses three darts at doubles to allow the Telford ace back in on double ten.9-13 - Hankey posts a fourth 180 of the game to leave 86, and takes out the finish to pull back to four legs behind.9-14 - Waites lands a 180, his second, and finishes tops to move two legs from the semis.9-15 - Waites misses double 12 for a 141 finish and chases doubles around the board before hitting double one.10-15 - Hankey misses tops, but Waites is off-target on double 18 for a 113 finish for victory as double five keeps Hankey in the game.10-16 - Waites opens with a 180 and seals victory by taking out 96 with a single 20, double 18 and double top combination.ENDS

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